Before they did their research, they did their research.



They are Drs. Dmitry Oleynikov, Stephen Platt and Shane Farritor, pioneers in the fields of miniature robotics and minimally invasive surgery. Having studied and conducted research at such prestigious institutions as the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NASA/Ames Research Center and MIT, each chose to continue his work at the University of Nebraska because of the excellent climate for research.

"The Medical Center allowed me to present my vision of research and supported it," Dr. Oleynikov said. "Now, five years in Omaha, I’ve fallen in love with the people and I continue to receive tremendous support for my research and ideas."

Dr. Platt concurs. "The University of Nebraska has the vision to recognize that truly multidisciplinary research offers exciting possibilities, and it has enabled engineering and medical professionals to work together as a synergistic team in ways that are not possible or found in very many other places," he said.

This supportive environment has proved invaluable to the researchers’ work. Their three-inch, motorized, camera-carrying robots can be slipped into a patient’s abdomen through a very small incision. Images are then beamed back to surgeons who manipulate tools carried by the robots to stop internal bleeding and perform other potentially life-saving tasks.

"We want to be the leader in this technology and be the state that changes the way surgery is done," Dr. Farritor said. Given their advancements, it appears the team’s vision may well become reality.

Read more about Dr. Oleynikov's work at the Center for Advanced Surgical Technologies

Read more about Dr. Farritor and Dr. Platt's work at the Robotics Lab

Read about other innovative research at the University of Nebraska

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